French Foreign Extra-terrestrial Legion
The French Foreign Extra-terrestrial Legion or FFEL, also goes by many names in many Human languages. In the shorthand, it is often simply referred to as 'the Legion'. It has its origins in France, during the Foundation Era, as part of France's contribution to the Global Alliance for Space Administration. With time, France's influence in the organization waned in comparison to other countries that began to contribute large numbers of maniples, however the 'French' part of the 'FFEL' name remains. It is the primary fighting force in the Human Domain and also the largest and most powerful. At any one time, spread throughout the Stellar Empire, its forces defend the interests of mankind and the sovereignty of human worlds against the aggression of various external threats. From its higher command at Mars and The Moon, the Legion operates not only personal Infantry weapons and Armoured Combat Vehicles but also a vast arsenal of aircraft providing for the Atmospheric Corps and oceanic craft for the Aquatic Corps. Origins The Legion's organizational elements first appeared as per the outline of the Treaty of Tokyo in the aftermath of the Colonial Crisis War. While officially extant, the Legion did not gain any tangible role until the procurement of a headquarters on The Moon, and eventually training and testing grounds on Mars and Venus, the latter under Weyland's authority. The first time that the Legion was given troops and took part in combat operations was the Kuiper War. Following the Kuiper War, the Legion grew exponentially in size and soon enough a full Cohort was raised to defend every system deemed of immediate importance, in particular those that were directly founded by the Exploration Fleet. The Legion was thus born as the most important military organization in the Human Domain. Legion's Structure Main Article: FFEL Hierarchy The Legion's supreme commander is the Consul Prima who has a permanent seat as a member of the Five Sectors. While he is the ultimate commanding and executive officer of the Legion, his immediate subordinates, the Consuls, often form an advisory cabinet - if they are at all present. The fighting forces of the Legion are commonly formed into ''maniples'', which themselves form Cohorts that may be individually, and permanently, assigned to a post as garrison forces. The more offensive elements of the Legion are usually millenia and legiones consisting of millions of soldiers. Finally, there are two subdivisions to the Legion: the Atmospheric Corps, which handles the aviation elements, and the Aquatic Corps which handles oceanic vessels. They are headed by general staff subordinate to the Consuls themselves, and oversee the production and deployment of these critical auxiliary vehicles. Manipular Structure Main Article: Maniple The maniple is the primary unit of the Legion. The commander of a maniple is called a Primus Centurio. All of the legionnaires which constitute a Maniple are drawn from the 'otherwise useless' teeming masses of manpower on Earth. No maniple ever has soldiers born somewhere other than Earth. A maniple is always founded as a complete and semi-permanent formation: possessing its own logistical system and auxiliaries, as well as officers. Legionnaires from the same country are always grouped together, but their officers may have varying origins. To ease communication, interpreters are always provided. Before a maniple is even raised, it has a pre-destined posting and as soon as the men (and women) are gathered up, they are shipped to a planet or other object similar enough to their end destination to serve as a suitable training field. There, they will endure a hardening training process that lasts a little over a month, before finally being shipped to their final station, where they will remain for the duration of their existence as a fighting unit. No soldier that ever enlists (or is conscripted) into the Legion and leaves Earth will ever see home again - their tour of duty is a permanent assignment. Due to the sheer number of recruits waiting back home, however, the maniple will be constantly reinforced and bolstered with new troops, and it is possible to replace losses. A maniple seldom operates alone, though they are considered the lowest rung on the command ladder capable of doing so. They are often grouped with several other maniples to form a Cohort, lead by a Primi Ordinis. When cohorts are needed to act as an offensive force, they form millenia lead by a Primus Pilus. A single maniple, while having a little bit of everything it needs to operate, will tend to specialize in one particular role. A motorized rifle maniple is the most basic - and common - type of formation. Building off the foundation the motorized rifle maniple sets, one arrives at the armoured, marine, orbital, and mobile rifle maniples, all of which are far more specialized. Auxilia The Legion also maintains auxiliary formations, which consist of local and regional militias and regulars integrated into the manipular command structure and equipped by the FFEL, though to a much lower and more uniform standard than the Legionnaires themselves. On the battlefield Main Article: Armoury of the FFEL The Legion's many millions of disciplined, well-lead, and well-equipped soldiers have fought in thousands of alien environments and circumstances. The armoury of the Legion has to contend with these theaters of operation, and thus possesses some of the finest technology available to this end. Body armour not only serves as protection from small arms, but allows a soldier's body to operate in the most hostile of environments, and at the same time can detect and resolve medical and mechanical issues on its own. Category:Organizations Category:Planetary forces